Yakima SunKings facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Yakima SunKings |
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| League | Continental Basketball Association 1990–2008 The Basketball League 2018–2019 |
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| Founded | (1990-2008) 2017 |
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| History | Kansas City Sizzlers 1985–1986 Topeka Sizzlers 1986–1990 Yakima Sun Kings 1990–2005 Yakama Sun Kings 2005–2008 Yakima SunKings 2018–2019 |
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| Arena | Yakima SunDome | ||
| Location | Yakima, Washington, U.S. | ||
| Team colors | |||
| Ownership | Jaime Campos | ||
| Championships | 6 (1995, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2018) | ||
| Uniforms | |||
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The Yakima SunKings were a basketball team from Yakima, Washington. They played their games at the Yakima SunDome. The team was a big part of the sports scene in central Washington, including nearby Tri-Cities and Ellensburg.
The SunKings played in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA) from 1990 to 2008. In 2005, the Yakama Indian Nation bought the team. They changed the name slightly to Yakama Sun Kings to honor the Nation.
Later, in 2018, a new version of the team started playing in a league called North American Premier Basketball. This league later changed its name to The Basketball League in 2019. The SunKings were very successful, winning the regular season title and the championship in 2018. However, the team stopped playing in the league before the 2020 season.
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Team History and Success
The SunKings basketball team started in Kansas City, Missouri as the Kansas City Sizzlers. Then, they moved to Topeka, Kansas. Finally, the team found its home in Yakima, Washington.
In 1990, Robert Wilson bought the team. A local contest was held to choose a new name, and "Yakima Sun Kings" was picked. The team hired Dean Nicholson, a local favorite, as their coach.
Winning Championships
The SunKings were known for being a successful team in minor-league basketball. They won several championships in the CBA:
- 1994–95 season
- 1999–2000 season
- 2002–03 season
- 2005–06 season
- 2006–07 season
One player, Ronny Turiaf, played for the SunKings in the 2005–06 season. He was a draft pick for the Los Angeles Lakers. Turiaf played nine games with the SunKings before rejoining the Lakers.
The SunKings won their fourth CBA Championship on March 27, 2006. They beat the Gary Steelheads in a close series. The next year, in 2006–07, they won again, sweeping the Albany Patroons to become champions for the fifth time.
Team Operations End
On April 10, 2008, the Yakama Nation decided to stop the team's operations. This was due to financial challenges.
Return and New League
On September 29, 2017, it was announced that the Yakima SunKings would be one of the first teams in the new North American Premier Basketball league. Paul Woolpert was hired again as the head coach and general manager. The team won the first championship in this new league.
The league became The Basketball League in 2019. After that, Coach Woolpert left the team. The SunKings then decided not to play in the league for the 2020 season. This happened because many of the western teams in the league had stopped playing.
Notable Former Players
Many talented players have been part of the Yakima SunKings team. Some of them include:
- Dennis Williams
- Raja Bell
- Alex Fulton
See also
In Spanish: Yakama Sun Kings para niños
